Datya was born to the desert, to a wilderness bereft of life. But before her childhood passed, she was told she would follow in the footsteps of the greatest Prophetess who had ever lived – the one who told the desert stories. When Miriam’s death was foretold with little warning, Datya’s grateful heart began to falter under the burden of loss. Then Moses broke the news to Joshua and Datya, that they would lead the Israelite’s into the fabled Promised Land – without him. One question stood above them all: Could Datya handle her grief and the weight of Israel’s spiritual care? Could she pick up the mantle Miriam had left behind?
Shirley Robinson’s debut novel refreshes readers of Christian Fiction with a wholesome, non-romance story set in Biblical history.
Shirley Robinson’s debut novel caught my attention because of the unique premise and beautiful cover. A young woman studying under the Prophetess Miriam and taking her place upon her death? Sounds intriguing, right? So when I got the opportunity to read the book, I was excited to do so!
I must say that this was a slower read for me–the story, while short in pages, doesn’t move very fast. I also thought the book could have used some more editing to tighten or fix some areas, so in that respect I was a little disappointed. BUT those negative thoughts aside, I was so touched by the meaning behind the story and all of the many, many spiritual truths that can be gleaned from its pages! I actually bookmarked several pages to go back and look at again later and even found inspiration for some devotional blog post topics that you might be seeing sometime soon. I also cried so bad over the death of Miriam! It really took me by surprise. I’ve always been a crier, but as I’ve gotten older, it takes a little more for a book to really get to me. But this one did! It probably had a lot to do with the fact that those scenes brought back memories and emotions from the recent death of my grandfather, but regardless, the story connected with my heart enough to invoke such a strong reaction. I was actually in the car with my husband when reading that part, and when I started crying, he thought he had done something wrong! LOL
Overall, I think Shirley has great potential and I look forward to seeing what she does in the future. If you are looking for a sweet Biblical fiction story that will encourage and inspire, give this one a try! 3.5/5 Stars!
**I received a copy of this book for review form the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own!**
